Diogenes. The Barrel of Diogenes as a way to achieve an ideal life

Diogenes, the barrel of which brought him fame, lived more than two thousand years ago. He had his own idea of life, which he saw in simplicity and getting rid of conventions and material goods.

He is considered one of the brightest representatives of the school of Cynics. A common life, he preferred existence like a dog, which for happiness needs a place to sleep and food. As a dwelling, he chose a vessel. This act later became the basis of the famous aphorism.

What is known about the life of a thinker? Did Diogenes sleep in a real barrel? What does the expression "Barrel of Diogenes" mean? This can be found in the article.

General information about Diogenes Sinope

All known information about the philosopher has come down to our days from the stories of the ancient writer, who lived in the third century, Diogenes Laertius. By this time, after Diogenes Sinopsky 's death, more than five hundred years have passed, so it is rather difficult to hope for the authenticity of information.

Diogenes was born, living in a barrel, about 412 BC. E. It is known that he was a son of a money-changer. Once he asked the oracle about what to do. The answer was the phrase: "Revaluation of values." The man decided that he needed to deal with the re-minting of coins, but then realized that his calling was in philosophy.

The Thinker sided with Antisthenes in Athens. At first, he even swung a stick at him, to which Diogenes set his head and said that Antisthenes could not find such a stick that could drive him away. From that time he became a disciple of Antisthenes and began to lead the simplest way of life. He arranged his home in an interesting way, which led to the appearance of phraseology that Diogenes was sleeping in a barrel. It was located near the Athens agora - the city square, which was the center of secular and social life of that time.

Ancient Greek philosopher was a student of Antisthenes and a vivid representative of the school of Cynics. The essence of the teaching was that people should live "like a dog" in order to achieve the common good. This meant living in simplicity, despising conventions, being able to defend the chosen way of life, to be true, brave and grateful.

Asceticism

The philosopher was an adherent of asceticism. The ideal of this way of life, he believed the behavior of mice, who were not afraid of anything, did not seek anything, content with the small. The thinker sought to achieve the ideal in his life. That's why Diogenes slept in a barrel. Instead of a bed, he used a cloak, but of things he had only a staff and a bag.

As an old man, he noticed how the boy drank water from a handful. This greatly upset the thinker, who immediately threw the cup out of his bag. At the same time, he said that the boy was able to surpass him in simplicity. He also threw away his bowl when he witnessed how the other boy managed to eat a lentil soup from a slice of bread eaten.

Aphorism with a barrel

The whole point of representatives of the school of Cynics was to not depend on material wealth, to become free from them. The house was also a certain luxury, so Diogenes, the barrel of which made him famous, decided to rid himself of this material excess.

In the allegorical sense, the famous phraseology means voluntary isolation from the outside world. Diogenes, the barrel of which became his home, relieved himself of the generally accepted goods and prejudices. By this he made his life simple and free.

Was there a barrel?

Diogenes, the barrel of which does not give many rest until now, actually lived in pithos. According to the results of archaeological excavations on the territory of Ancient Greece there were no barrels in our understanding.

The Athenians used instead large (in the growth of man) clay vessels. In them they stored grain, wine, butter.

It was in such a pythose that a philosopher could live. The vessel was enough to lay horizontally in order to sleep in it, covered in a cloak. The rest of the time, the thinker could conduct outside the vessel while on the street. For the hygiene needs at that time, all used public baths and toilets, so the need for a house in Diogenes could indeed be absent.

Once the children broke the pathos in which Diogenes lived. The inhabitants of Athens eventually provided him with housing in the form of a new earthen vessel. So the thinker lived until Macedonia decided to capture Athens.

The last period of life

Diogenes was a participant in the Battle of Jerone, which took place in 338 BC. E. Between Macedonia and Athens and Thebes. The forces of the parties were almost equal, but the troops of Philip II and Alexander of Macedon defeated the army of Greek city-states.

The Thinker, like many Athenians, was captured by the Macedonians. He was sold from a slave market to a certain Xeniad. The owner of the new slave bought him as a mentor for his children. The Athenian philosopher taught them riding, history, Greek poetry, and throwing darts.

There is a story that when he had the opportunity to address Alexander of Macedon with a request, he only asked that he not block the sun. As a true representative of the school of Cynics, he did not need anything, and in this he saw his freedom even being captured.

Death of the philosopher

The philosopher died in 323 BC. E. It is believed that death came to him on the same day as to Alexander the Great. Before he died, he asked his master to bury him face down. At the grave of the thinker, a marble monument was erected, which depicted a dog. On the monument there was an inscription that Diogenes was able to teach people to be content with what they have and indicated a simple way in life.

Today the memory of the philosopher is kept by the well-known phraseology of the "barrel of Diogenes".